FIRST OFF, welcome to my blog! There has been some confusion about the summer reading assignment, so here is what you need to complete during the time off: A. Everyone is reading Fahrenheit 451 and completing a blog post on it here. You're also completing a short (2 page max) paper on any topic relating Fahrenheit and one other book. B. Then everyone is reading two other works and posting about them on here next month. These can include -One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest -Prisons we Choose to Live Inside -Streetcar Named Desire -Brave New World So, this is our virtual classroom for the summer, although I hope to see many of you at our two writing workshops in the actual classroom as well! English II Honors is a challenging course because it requires you to develop a new style of reading, thinking, and writing which is more sophisticated and academic. These posts, as well as the workshops, are about preparing you for that so you can produce a strong reaction paper, which is your first big grade. My main goal for the year is to get you... Reading CLOSELY, meaning paying attention to particular words and phrases to determine their effects Thinking CRITICALLY, meaning posing questions and problems instead of finding "right" answers Writing CAREFULLY, meaning caring what you're writing about and taking time to say it well So, for the first post, I would like you to closely read a scene from Fahrenheit 451 of at least one page, think critically about word choices and their purpose, and write a careful 1-2 paragraph explanation of its effects on the reader and overall significance for the larger work. (A paragraph is at least 6 sentences and one big quotation or a series of small phrase quotes - make sure you explain the quotations and cite them correctly!) There will be a second blog post in two weeks, before the first workshop, and then one in August after the first workshop. Please complete this blog post before Wednesday, July 16th, and look for the second one then. Each of these posts are worth 20 points of the roughly 400 you can earn each MP. Here are a few suggestions to get you started: -Scenes worth analyzing include Montag's talks with Clarisse and Faber, Mildred's reaction to her suicide attempt, the poetry reading, anything with Beatty, or various sections of the ending, esp. the phoenix -You should begin your post with a topic sentence, introducing the novel, scene and point you'll make -Make sure you note some kind of specific theme in the novel to which your scene relates Good luck! Post your response by hitting "comments" and then typing your name and pasting it in the box.
136 Comments
Kelly Gagliano
7/9/2014 07:16:07 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, it is shown that the lives of others can be meaningless in the eyes of others, as shown through the conversation between Mildred and Montag and Mildred's way of informing Montag about the death of his friend, Clarisse. On page 47, Mildred unsympathetically states about the death of Clarisse, "'No. The same girl. McClellan. McClellan. Run over by a car. Four days ago. I'm not sure. But I think she's dead. The family moved out anyway. I don't know. But I think she's dead,'" (Bradbury 47). Mildred's flat, unemotional tone reveals how meaningless the life of Clarisse is to Mildred, and how she has no sympathy for Montag as he hears of the death of his friend. She has no respect for the life that has been lost and sees it as meaningless. This also reveals a theme in the book about respect for one's own life and that of others. As the reader, this shows how one should have sympathy toward others and respect life and its fragility. All in all, the conversation between MIldred and Montag about the death of Clarisse shows that life should be respected and is not something that should be taken for granted, and that the life of everyone has meaning and should be treated as such.
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Lauren Kirk
7/14/2014 01:06:45 pm
I thought this scene in the novel was very significant because it gives insight to Mildred's character and her values. Throughout the novel, she constantly watches the people on the TV, referring to them as her 'family' and showing much interest in their lives. When she refers to the death of Clarisse without showing any concern at all, it shows that Mildred cares more for the characters she sees on screen than real situations.
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Zoe Kralyevich
7/15/2014 03:40:53 am
I also thought this was a very important part of the story. It really showed how Mildred didn't really care for the things or people that Guy cared for. It showed how Mildred and Guy really didn't get along, even if they were married. He even asked her where they met and she didn't know! She also called the firemen on Guy after he didn't get rid of the books in their house. Mildred has shown a consistant attitude of selfishness by only worrying about herself.
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Emma Keegan
7/15/2014 09:20:02 am
I felt this was one of the significant parts of the novel as well. It shows how Mildred and Guy do not care about the same things, and shows a huge flaw in their relationship. Guy felt deeply for Clarisse and Mildred feels no sympathy and it shows how Mildred cared more for the TV characters than Guy's living friend.
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Madison Ciccone
7/16/2014 01:58:21 pm
I also agree with this.It was a compelling part of the novel because it displays the relationship between Mildred and Guy, and how they don't agree on the same things. Mildred does not care as much for Clarisse's death where as Guy was deeply saddened by her death, as she was his friend.
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Chase Hintelmann
7/19/2014 01:59:22 am
I aslo agree with this post. The fact that this new society has altered and warped peoples minds to believe that the eccentricities in life are negative is appalling. The way Mildred brushed off Clarisse's death shocked me, because while Clarisse was not your typical girl, she was still a human being. I am curious to see how Montag and Mildred's relationship continues after her seeming to not care about his friends death as well as him making her break the law by bringing books into their home.
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Ellie Farrington
8/5/2014 04:49:24 am
I agree that this was a memorable scene because it reveals how messed up this society is. Mildred shows absolutely no emotion and is not bothered at all about Clarisse's death. In the world we live in today, death is not taken lightly, even with someone we never knew. This scene also gives us an awareness to Guy and Mildred's strange relationship. Mildred has no sympathy for her husband and considers TV characters her family.
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Lola Todman
7/9/2014 12:59:25 pm
From pages 7 to 8 in Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, there is substantial insight into the lives of Guy Montag and Clarisse McClellan. As the two newly-acquainted strangers walk toward their homes in the still of the night, Clarisse makes it clear that she is unsatisfied by accepting things for the way they appear on the surface. She spoons away at everyday monotony with her appetite for a core purpose. This is evident by Clarisse's critical thinking skills. They are obvious by the questions she asks Montag - "Do you mind if I ask? How long have you been a fireman?" and "Do you ever read any of the books you burn?" and even "Why are you laughing?" - before she draws a conclusion about him: "You laugh when I haven't been funny and you answer right off. You never stop to think about what I've asked you."
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Annabel Martin
7/16/2014 03:17:22 am
I found what you wrote very interesting, and I completely agree. Clarisse's innocent and honest views are very refreshing, but they could also get her into trouble. When Clarisse asks Montag if he has ever read any of the books, this gives the reader a hint that she is not a regular girl who follows the rules.
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Debra Tuberion
7/28/2014 05:01:23 am
What you wrote is very true and I agree with you completely. I also agree with Annabel's comment. I believe that Clarisse's honest statements and questions are what make her unforgettable and also what makes her such a big part of the novel. When she questions Guy Montag him ever reading books, this leads me to believe that she does not follow the rules and she has read books before herself.
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Juliet Slattery
8/25/2014 01:37:08 am
To add on to what Lola is saying, I think that Clarisse's insight and simplicity in the world is what changes Montag and gives him a new perspective in his life. This new character in the book, as well as in Montag's life is what keeps Montag on his toes. He significantly changes his views and morals because of Clarisse. I believe she is a symbol of change and rebellion. Montag is intrigued by her and her ways.
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Kyle Neary
7/13/2014 06:53:45 am
In his novel Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury arranges an early meeting between two important characters, whose conversation foreshadows a significant theme in the book. As Guy Montag, a fireman and the main character, approaches the corner leading to his neighborhood, he stops. Instead of the “white, unused, buckling sidewalk,” (Bradbury 5) he usually turns to, Montag expects to see another person. Bradbury uses these descriptive words to help the reader picture this empty, moonlit sidewalk as if he were there too. He goes on to say “Perhaps his nose detected a faint perfume, perhaps the skin on the backs of his hands, on his face, felt the temperature rise at this one spot where a person’s standing might raise the immediate atmosphere ten degrees for an instant” (Bradbury 5). This passage uses sensory details to make the reader also expect there to be someone around the corner.
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Emma Keegan
7/13/2014 10:20:10 am
Throughout pages 23-24 of Fahrenheit 451, a novel by Ray Bradbury Clarisse informs Guy Montag of his puzzling ways. She explains "When I talk, you look at me. When I said something about the moon, you looked at the moon, last night. The others would never do that. The others would walk off or leave me there talking. Or threaten me," (Bradbury 23). The questioning tone of Clarisse reveals she is confused by what Guy is versus his actions towards someone like herself. Her questioning tone also makes Guy second guess himself as a fireman and as an individual. Guy portrays to readers that you do not have to follow the footsteps of everyone else, you can be yourself and it may reward you. Guy wants to listen to Clarisse and see the world for its beauty unlike the other firemen. He dares to be himself and it rewarded him with an interesting new friend, whose relationship becomes stronger with each engagement. This relationship is very important and progresses throughout the book as the two help each other find who they are.
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elizabeth paterno
7/15/2014 11:56:09 pm
I agree that this relationship is very important. Clarisse makes Montag see everything in a new way and he really listens to her opinion. I find it interesting how one person can alter someone else's perspective of things so much. Clarissa will continue to be a very important person in the novel and make Montag realize many things
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Debra Tuberion
7/28/2014 04:57:16 am
I agree that the relationship between Guy Montag and Calrisse is very important. She changes his outlook on life completely and although she is not in the story for that long, she still has a very big impact on his life. She makes him realize that books are important and I agree that she does make him second guess himself as a firefighter.
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Ellie Farrington
8/5/2014 04:41:58 am
I also agree that the relationship between Guy and Clarisse is very important to the novel. Her unique personality makes her stand out and it is her questioning that makes Guy see the world differently. Without his conversations with Clarisse, he may have never opened up to new ideas or realized that there is another way to live. I think Clarisse helps Guy find himself and Guy shows Clarisse that there is hope for people to change.
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Kent Hottmann
7/13/2014 11:32:01 am
The writing style and word choices on pages 55 and 56 of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury create a sense of anxiety and tension for the reader. In the scene, Montag is staying home from work, because he feels he has lost his understanding of the world and his job. The day before, Montag took a book from one of the houses he burned and brought it home. Captain Beatty visits him and starts to explain to Montag how all firemen have trouble finding a way to justify what they do at some point in their careers. Montag’s wife Mildred begins cleaning things around the room and the author brings attention to the book hidden under Montag’s pillow. The tone of the writing becomes tense and suspenseful as Mildred gets closer and closer to Montag’s pillow.
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Bailey Smith
7/14/2014 01:18:43 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451,by Ray Bradbury, the author shows what happens when someone questions the norms of society. Clarisse, a neighbor of Guy Montag, challenges Guy when she says “So many people are. Afraid of firemen, I mean. But you are just a man after all,” (Bradbury 7). When Clarisse says this Montag becomes even more about his life and his happiness. He “saw himself in her eyes,” (Bradbury 9). Clarisse helped Montag realize that he is more than just a fireman. Clarisse challenged Montag even more when she asked Montag, “Do you ever read any of the books you burn?’ (Bradbury 8). No one had ever asked him anything like that, nor had Guy met anyone like Clarisse. Clarisse confirmed the feelings Montag had been having about his society and his happiness.
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Aidan Smith
7/14/2014 01:22:48 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the main character, Montag, questions the world in which he lives. He begins to see that life isn’t as perfect as it is on the outside. When Montag meets Clarisse, she opens up his mind to how imperfect their lives really are. What appears to be beauty, peace and safety is in reality scary and violent for Clarisse. Clarisse tells Montag that she is “afraid of children [her] own age” (Bradbury 30). The world isn’t perfect if someone feels afraid. What Clarisse is afraid of is how people “kill each other” (Bradbury 30). In fact “six of [her] friends have been shot in the past year alone” (Bradbury 30). Looking at their ‘perfect’ world through Clarisse’s eyes is very different for Montag. This is the beginning of Montag’s enlightenment.
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Sierra Lopez
7/19/2014 06:46:35 am
This is very true, Clarisse definitely opened a lot of doors for Montag to go through and realise just how imperfect their "perfect" world really is. It kind of makes me wonder if he ever would have been able to actually see that if she had not, or if he would have been perfectly happy to go along with everything and continue being a fireman and burning books and everything that came with them, believing that their lives were still perfect and beautiful.
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Andrew Schembor
7/14/2014 05:15:05 am
In pages 4 to 5 in Fahrenheit 451, Radbury describes Montag thinking there were people on his walk home. His word choice made it feel like the reader was in his spot, walking in the still darkness. For example, when it says “The air seemed charged with a special calm as if someone had waited there, quietly, and only a moment before he came, simply turned to a shadow and let him through”, means that Montag is either losing his mind or someone is actually there. This night though, he saw a woman which showed he was not imagining the shadow. “The autumn leaves blew over the moonlit pavement in such a way as to make the girl who was moving there seem fixed to a sliding walk, letting the motion of the wind and the leaves carry her forward” is a great description which lets you imagine the image of this woman and the affect the autumn wind had on her image. Radbury uses outstanding adjectives to brighten his work and let the reader imagine an out of this world illustration.
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Bobby Villaluz
7/15/2014 12:00:30 pm
I agree with you that Bradbury has an interesting use of complex adjectives to really make the reader feel like he or she was experiencing the event as Montag. The phrase that you pointed out, "The air seemed charged with a special calm..." was something I found especially descriptive and creative on Bradbury's part.
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Jordan Swartz
7/14/2014 05:50:01 am
In the book Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, Beatty gave Montag a false hope of getting away with the books but in reality shows how Montag was controlled. On page 113, Beatty shows how insignificant any of Montag's actions are. “Montag and Beatty stared, one with dry satisfaction,the other with disbelief, at the house before them, this main ring in which torches would be juggled and fire eaten”(Bradbury 113). The word “dry satisfaction” really drove this passage home by showing that Beatty had planned this entire thing and only when it came together did he show his emotions. This also set the theme for the book as it shows how everyone is controlled, whether they know it or not. Montag was like a puppet, it only moves when it’s master,Beatty, wants it to move.
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Jodi Lynch
7/24/2014 04:30:45 am
I was interested to see that we chose the same passage, but took a completely different message. I understand your point on control. I can see how Beatty controlled Montag as well as how insignificant Montag's actions were due to Beatty's control. I also found it interesting that you say that Montag wasn't free after Beatty died. I agree, because I see towards the end that Montag only becomes free once he choses his own path and ignores what society has told him about right and wrong.
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Ryan Humelsine
7/14/2014 08:25:31 am
Ray Bradbury is forming a concept of a linkage between two polar opposites in his novel Fahrenheit 451. This idea shapes a theme that is easily representable in the real world, like how a mediator stands between two people in a bitter argument, thus the novel is easy for the reader to relate to. Perhaps The two “polar opposites” include the majority of society, like Beatty and the other firemen on one side, and on the other, Clarisse McClellan, a rather unique, dreamy girl, who talks of a time when people did not back away from books. She implies that they were a source of enjoyment. Her presence and peculiar behaviors seem to have an affect on people around her, like Guy Montag. Guy represents “the linkage” between both worlds in Bradbury’s mind. At the very beginning of the book, he seems to fall in with the rest of the book burning society. He is cheerful, and nothing about his job as a fireman bothers him. He simply accepts the fact that books are meant to be burnt. Yet, something about his encounters with Clarisse change him, and his views of the world around him. He seems to be caught somewhere in the middle, unable to find his place. “How do you get so empty? he wondered. Who takes it out of you? And that awful flower the other day, the dandelion! It has summed up everything, hadn’t it? ‘What a shame! You’re not in love with anyone!’ And why not?” (Bradbury 44). This part of the book shows a lot of Guy’s confusion regarding where he thinks he belongs. One part of him wants to ignore Clarisse and the dandelion, yet he can’t get his mind off of it. In a way, this book can be thought of as a man crossing a bridge. with Guy walking from the land mass of burning books, toward Clarisse, the past, and the thought of not being afraid. This may foreshadow Guy becoming more like Clarisse, and less like Beatty, like when Guy tries tasting the rain, just like Clarisse mentioned. “And then, very slowly, as he walked, he tilted his head back in the rain, for just a few moments, and opened his mouth…” (Bradbury 24).
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Jake Lane
7/14/2014 10:23:12 am
From pages 28-29 in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 you see the relationship between guy and Clarisse start to evolve. Guy the man who burns downs peoples houses who have books inside for a living starts to build up a relationship with Clarisse who is a young girl that liked what the world use to be when you could read books. Here Guy talks about how he likes Clarisse “Why is it,” he said, one time, at the subway entrance, “I feel I’ve known you for so many years?” (Bradbury 28). It seems that a completely different person from Guy has such an impact on him. I feel that this is foreshadowing the personality switch of Guy in the future that is against what he does for a living and agrees with Clarisse. That the author is using this time in the book as a turning point in the rest of the novel where Guy becomes more like Clarisse and open minded unlike the rest of society.
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Ella Brockway
7/14/2014 10:49:04 am
On pages 41 and 42 of Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag is a fireman who has just returned from a call where he had to start a fire that would consume not only the actual house, but also its owner. While the idea of fireman starting fires instead of preventing them seems absurd in today’s society, Montag never questioned or opposed his occupation, instead saying at the start of the novel that it was “a pleasure to burn”. (Bradbury 3) However, his thoughts change when he steals a book from this house, a terrible crime in the eyes of a fireman. Montag’s immediate reaction to taking the book is one of guilt, and he blames his own hands for causing the problem. His “hands had been infected, and soon it would be his arms…” (Bradbury 41) and just the thought of the presence of a book in his house caused Montag to stumble on his words and appear anxious to his wife Mildred later in the night.
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Annabel Martin
7/14/2014 11:13:19 am
I find it really interesting how he finds the poison travelling up his body. Also, I agree with your prediction that Montag may change in the future, and stealing the book is just the beginning of his own rebellion.
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Annabel Martin
7/14/2014 11:05:48 am
From early on in Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, Clarisse and Montag develop a very unique bond. Montag has been a firefighter for many years, and as a result he has a very structured schedule. Clarisse becomes a part of his schedule. Bonding over small talk and books does not give us a very strong insight into Clarisse and Montag’s relationship, however on page 32 Bradbury expresses how Montag looks forward to seeing Clarisse, and he is left unsettled when he does not see her. Montag “didn’t know what there was about the afternoon, but it was not seeing her somewhere in the world. The lawn was empty, the trees empty, the street empty, and while at first he did not even know he missed her or was even looking for her…” (Bradbury 32). The word choices are very simple, and this shows that Montag does not need big words to illustrate his affection for Clarisse, she is simply a good friend. Montag loves Clarisse, but not like he loves Mildred. Montag loves how Clarisse impacts his day, and he finally realizes this once she is gone.
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Claire McEvoy
7/15/2014 01:17:49 pm
I really liked your opinion on this, and I agree completely. It is important to make sure we appreciate one's presence while we still have the opportunity to do so. I think the way Mildred describes Clarisse's death to Montag shows the difference in their feelings about her. To Mildred, Clarisse is just another stranger in the world; but to Montag, she was the girl that allowed him to see and realize new things about the world.
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Lauren Kirk
7/14/2014 12:47:47 pm
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag has always found a certain enjoyment from burning books. However, after meeting a peculiar girl with an intense curiosity and unique personality, Montag finds himself questioning his position as a fireman. This leads to a visit from his boss, Officer Beatty, who gives him a speech that explains the danger of literature. In doing so, Beatty also gives insight to the society in which they are living. This novel takes place in a futuristic, dystopian world that is very different from ours. Therefore, this scene is very important to the novel as a whole because it gives the reader a better sense of this unfamiliar setting. Most evident of all of the government’s belief is that all people “must all be alike. Not everyone born free and equal, as the Constitution says, but everyone made equal. Each man the image of every other; then all are happy, for there are no mountains to make them cower, to judge themselves against” (Bradbury 58). The government believes that books are a test of intellect, and a man should not have to feel inferior if he is not well read.
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Kelsey Ballard
7/15/2014 02:17:07 am
I agree with you completely. I also found this particular scene to be a very meaningful one. Besides the fact that we now know why books are burned, we as readers have a better understanding of how this society works. Beatty is obviously exaggerating, but Montag doesn't quite see through this. I personally believe that this conversation is one of the few that changes Guy forever.
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Chase Hintelmann
7/19/2014 02:09:41 am
When I first read this section, I didn't truly read the quote on page 58, I skimmed over it and therefore I didn't grasp it's full meaning. Now that you bring it back up, you open up an interesting point. This quote really shows how messed up and stereotypical this society is. They believe they know how each person should behave and how each person should learn and develop. They are creating what they think is an equal society, but in reality they are just placing themselves and other individuals above people with strange or unnatural habits, such as Clarisse and her family.
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Max Lane
7/15/2014 01:35:52 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, one of the main characters is a person named Guy Montag. Guy Montag has been a fireman for ten years and one night, while walking home from work he begins to walk with a neighbor who Guy has never had the opportunity to meet. Guy engages the young girl in a conversation and asks the girl her name. Clarisse McClellan and Guy begin to talk about many things and ask each other questions. After a while of talking Clarisse states, "So many people are. Afraid of firemen, I mean. But you're just a man, after all..." (Bradbury 7). When I read this I was confused. I wasn't sure why people would be afraid of firemen, aren't they supposed to be heroes? This was when I was to later find that the firemen in this story were not heroes who save peoples lives and put out fires, they are the people who start the fires.
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Kelsey Ballard
7/15/2014 02:13:18 am
In Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451, it is often shown that in the society in which the protagonist, Guy Montag, finds himself in, fitting in is of the utmost importance, and curiosity for the past is to be suppressed. Montag agrees with this, but after he meets Clarisse McClellan on the sidewalk after a late shift at the fire house. Clarisse is seventeen and crazy, and in the first moments of their conversation, Montag feels uncomfortable. However, after a while, he begins to feel at ease with her, despite her personal questions and the way she seems to be patronizing him. A few days later, Clarisse is hit by a car and does not live to tell the tale.
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Emma Westgate
7/15/2014 10:52:52 am
I definitely agree with you. Clarisse made Montag think about the things around him and question his society. If she hadn't had talked to Montag he would still be living in this false sense of happiness. Also, he would still be trying to conform to the way of others. Furthermore, I agree that words can change the world. Montag can use the words he finds in books to help with his revolution.
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Sierra Lopez
7/19/2014 07:00:43 am
You said that "It is Clarisse's words and way of speaking that cause the change in Guy, the change that made him want to spark a revolution of his own." And I wholly agree with this, to me, Clarisse seemed to be like the human form of an epiphany to Guy, because of her it was like a light switch flipped in his head, but one that simply could not be turned off, leading to he himself changing.
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Kevin Laughlin
7/15/2014 02:22:22 am
Fahrenheit 451 is a novel written by Ray Bradbury. Guy Montag is the main character in this story, and he is a fireman who does not put out fires like most people think, he starts them instead. On pages 6-10, Guy has a conversation with one of his neighbors, Clarisse, who he is meeting for the very first time. Once Guy and Clarisse begin talking, she begins to ask Guy odd questions. One quote expresses Clarisse's diverse thinking, "Do you ever read the books you burn?"(Bradbury 8) This question from Clarisse was very interesting because it shows that she thinks very differently from everyone else and it also forces Montag to rethink what he does and why he does things like burning books as a fireman. Another quote also shows something unique about Clarisse, "Is it true that long ago firemen put fires out instead of going to start them?"(Bradbury 8) To me, this quote suggests that Clarisse takes things from what she has heard happened in the past and compares them to how things are now. Through one short conversation between Guy and Clarisse, we have learned that Clarisse thinks very diversely and that her questions and comments have caused Guy to gain an interest in her, and also question himself and the things he does.
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Alexandra LeLand
7/15/2014 07:48:01 am
I completely agree with you. I was surprised that Clarisse asked him such personal questions even though they were just strangers. But, I think by her asking these questions, we learn that she is not like the others and she is unique, spontaneous, and curious.
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Ryan Garley
7/15/2014 02:27:04 am
In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the novel starts off with a conversation with Guy and Clarisse. Clarisse almost confronts him in a way in stating,"So many people are. Afraid of Fireman, I mean. But you're just a man, after all..." (Bradbury 7). She almost confronts him where people think firemen are the good guys where as you read on you do indeed find out that the firemen are the guys who start the fire. I believe so many people included this quote because we are surprised to hear that she is afraid of them. Ray Bradbury uses words to give a new dimension to boring sentences. On page 11, Bradbury could of said," a mosquito buzzed around his room." That is a very plain sentence, instead he states,' The little mosquito-delicate dancing hum in the air, the electric murmur of a hidden wasp snug in its special pink warm nest," (Bradbury 11). This gives the sentence a feeling that makes the reader feel like they walked into this cold, dark room, with Guy. It just shows that Bradbury took time to carefully prepare each sentence to make his novel better and more fun to read.
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Connor McCarthy
7/15/2014 02:43:30 am
For this blog post I choose pages 76-77. I my thoughts begin with Guy Montag yelling at his wife because she cannot seem to choose which book she can exchange because Captain Beatty saw her steal a book. " 'You've got to hand it back tonight, don't you? Captain Beatty knows you got it doesn't he?'
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Jack Stamer
7/15/2014 03:05:19 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 , Ray Bradbury illustrates that people should not be judged by their looks or profession, but instead by their actions which is shown in the novel, through a conversation between Montag and Clarisse. On pages 21 to 23, Montag and Clarisse end up meeting again. Clarisse wonders how Montag became a fireman because he is “not like the others … you [he] look[s] at me [Clarisse]” when she talks (Ray Bradbury 23). Montag isn’t like the typical fireman, he actually pays attention to others. Firemen in the novel aren’t sympathetic and they care about themselves and the law. Also, firemen view themselves as more superior to others as showed by Clarisse above. That shows that Montag is different and shouldn’t be viewed as a typical “fireman” because he is respectful and kind. This theme of judging people for who they really are is a reoccurrence in life. An example of how a profession does not reveal a true person’s personality could be a comedian. For example, a comedian is funny and makes a lot of jokes, but when he is off stage he might be very sophisticated and normal. However, people always think a comedian is funny on and off the stage because of his profession of being a comedian. As a reader of this novel, it strikes me that we, as a society, always look and judge people by their looks and not for who they really are. Clarisse shows that at first she judged Montag by his appearance because he is a fireman, but then she realizes the person he really his. Also, Clarisse continues to find out Montag’s true character when she says to Montag “sometimes I even forget you’re a fireman” (Ray Bradbury 23). Again Clarisse informally admits that she judged Montag by his appearance when she first met him because he is a fireman. All in all, the conversation between Montag and Clarisse reveals that people judge others based on their appearance instead of based on their actions.
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Bobby Villaluz
7/15/2014 11:53:57 am
This was a really important scene with many things that we could draw from it. You make an awesome point here about an aspect of the conversation that is very relatable. I also think how it's interesting that as unique and observant as Clarisse may be compared to other members of their society, even people like her reach a point where they are just like everyone else. You show this when you wrote that she informally admitted that she judged Montag by his appearance during their first meeting.
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Jordan Swartz
7/15/2014 12:17:52 pm
I also agree with what you are saying and that Clarisse tells us that society has changed to interpret what people look like, not how they feel or act.
Griffin Perry
8/24/2014 05:35:57 am
I found that this scene held so many interesting aspects which play an important role in the novel. I agree that the fireman think very highly of themselves in society so when Clarisse wasn't so impressed it confused Montag. Clarisse's ways of thinking make the reader take a liking to her along with Montag.
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Zoe Kralyevich
7/15/2014 03:35:35 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag and Clarisse McClellan’s relationship has opened Guy’s eyes to the world around him and he begins to understand that something is terribly wrong with the society he lives in. From pages 7 through 10, Guy and Clarisse meet for the first time. This is very substantial because she leaves him with a lasting impression. They started off as strangers and in a matter of minutes, Guy has a whole new perception on life. After a few days of talking to Clarisse, Guy has felt like “[he has] known [her] so many years” (Bradbury 28). These affects the reader by demonstrating how one person can come into your life and completely change it, whether in a positive or negative way. In this case, Clarisse has influenced Guy in a positive way by helping him recognize that he is unhappy with the way society is being run. However, this affects the story in a big way. She was the spark to Guy’s revolution against society. She showed him things that he has never thought about before and taught him about things he’s never known. When he heard of her death, he was very upset. She was the one person that he felt he could connect with. He got along with her very well and he loved hearing what she had to say. When he found out that she had died from Beatty, he was ruined. He had no clue what to do anymore, but he still knew that he was upset and that he had to do something about it. Clarisse showed Guy that no one was truly happy with society as it was and that they needed to change that.
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Kelly Gagliano
7/15/2014 04:40:51 am
I agree completely with your analysis of the relationship between Guy and Clarisse. Clarisse taught Guy new ways of thinking about the world, and that the world is not just black and white, or right and wrong. Clarisse was the fire lit in Guy to make change. It is astonishing how the influence of just one person in one's life can make the biggest of changes.
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Emily Fitzgerald
7/16/2014 01:00:28 am
I agree with what you were saying about how Clarisse opened up Guy's eyes to how wrong their society was. It was almost like everyone had a tunneled-view of what was going on at the time. I feel like his view on their society really began to shift once he meet and spoke with Clarisse..
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Chase Hintelmann
7/19/2014 02:28:47 am
The point you made is a reason I like this book. Fahrenheit 451 proves that adults can learn from kids. While we may not have as much experience in life as they do, our outlook and perspective on the world differs from theirs. It is Clarisse's point of view on her surroundings that drew Montag from his safe bubble in the "perfect" world, and instead showed him the many flaws in their society. An example of their not so perfect society is the numerous murders of children by other children. As Clarisse says, "I'm afraid of children my own age. They kill each other... Six if my friends have been shot in the last year alone." (Bradbury, 30) This shows that perfection can never be achieved in a society, there will always be something that goes wrong.
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Emma Westgate
7/15/2014 03:39:34 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 on pages 8 to 9, the author Ray Bradbury constructs a conversation between fireman Guy Montag and Clarisse, an analytical 17 year old girl. During this interaction, it is found that Clarisse notices the quality in life. Clarisse makes observations like, “there’s dew on the grass in the morning” (Bradbury 9). This demonstrates how Clarisse takes the time to look at things, while others will just walk by the grass and think nothing of it. She even dares to ask questions like, “is it true that long ago firemen put fires out instead of going to start them” (Bradbury 8). Asking questions helps Clarisse explore the meaning of a topic. Clarisse and Montag’s conversation is important because Montag finds it strange that she is taking the time to notice things, while the readers may find these questions pedestrian. This scene is significant to the overall theme of the novel because it shows how people are wary of others who take time to think and observe. Books make readers ask questions and observe deeper meaning in the text, so the government destroys them. Clarisse is like a book in the way she notices the quality in life.
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Kelsey Ballard
7/15/2014 04:35:01 am
I definitely agree with you on your post. Clarisse is different, and though many of us take time out of our day to notice the good things in life, in the society from the novel, this is considered absurd. I think that the novel really makes us as readers take a step back and think about our lives.
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Brenna Bonner
7/16/2014 06:21:23 am
i agree with you that Clarisse is a unique individual and that she isnt like normal teenagers. she also has a unique outlook on life and she is very curious and takes time to think about things
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Shannon O'Donnell
8/30/2014 05:53:58 am
I completely agree with you. Clarisse is a breath of fresh air among all the people in their society who have no thought or emotion whatsoever. She is an inspiration to Montag and to many of the readers.
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Priscilla Triolo
7/15/2014 03:40:01 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, I noticed that the main character, Guy Montag, referred to Clarisse McClellan as a figure of light. "There was a girl walking with him now, her face as bright as snow in the moonlight…" (Bradbury 7). Further down on this page, Montag compares Clarisse to light again. “He saw himself in her eyes, suspended in two shining drops of bright water, himself dark and time... Her face, turned to him now, was fragile milk crystal with a soft and constant light in it. It was not the hysterical light of electricity... But the strangely comfortable and rare and gently flattering light of the candle.” I feel as though the author did this on purpose. Montag has only seen the “Hysterical light” of the burning of homes he has destroyed. Now that Clarisse was brought into his life, he notices that “light” is not solely based on the destruction of the fires that he has set but, on the goodness found in people like Clarisse. This was important because Clarisse represent the light in Montag’s life and made him begin to realize the bad going on around him. It also brought him to questioning things rather than “... doing like I’m told, like always.” (Bradbury 92). She gave him the eyes that didn’t just look at things but actually notice things. She was an important person in his life and now that she is gone, Montag will continue acting towards situations like she would. He will continue to grow and be different than society.
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Debra Tuberion
8/7/2014 04:49:24 am
I found what you read very interesting. I never thought anything of the comparison of Clarisse to the light until I read what you had to say.I agree that not only does the "light" related to the burning and destruction of the houses, but it relates to the goodness in people such as Clarisse.
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Grace Cody
7/15/2014 04:18:21 am
In the novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury on pages 7-10, characters Guy Montag and Clarisse McClellan meet while walking on their street. Clarisse and Montag discuss Montag's career which is a fireman. In this novel, firemen have a different task than fireman in our world do. Instead of putting out fires, they create them to burn houses with books owned by the people who live in that house. Clarisse talks about how her uncle said that firemen used to put out fires not make them, like in our world, which was very outlandish Montag. The two also discuss other things like watching people and paying attention to things. Clarisse states on page 9, "'I sometimes think drivers don't know what grass is, or flowers, because they never see them slowly' she said. 'If you showed a driver a green blur, Oh yes! he'd say, that's grass! A pink blur! That's a rose garden! White blurs are houses. Brown blurs are cows. My uncle drove slowly on a highway once. He drove 40 miles an hour and they jailed him for two days. Isn't that funny, and sad, too?" Montag is not used to people expressing their opinions and stories to other people, especially strangers like how Montag and Clarisse are. Clarisse ends the conversation by asking Montag if he is happy and before he has a chance to answer, Clarisse runs away into the night. I think that Clarisse is a interesting character because she gets the reader and the main character to think about certain things and question certain things. I believe that Clarisse will play a large part in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.
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Emma Keegan
7/15/2014 09:22:03 am
I agree that Clarisse is able to make reads (such as ourselves) to think about what she is saying and/or asking. I feel this was a very memorable and important scene in the novel.
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Kyle Neary
7/15/2014 12:00:00 pm
I agree with your statement that Clarisse is an interesting character and I also believe that she will play a big role in this novel.
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Paige Whittle
7/15/2014 04:59:18 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag’s encounter with Clarisse McClellan makes him question his current job as a fireman. The first few pages of the book shows Guy’s initial feelings of being a fireman. Guy loved his job because of the thrill burning books gave him.. For him, “it was a pleasure to burn. It was as special pleasure to see things eaten, to see things blackened and changed” (Bradbury 3). As that day of being a fireman ends, Guy begins to walk home when he meets his new neighbor, Clarisse McClellan. She is aware that he is a fireman because of his kerosene-drenched odor, and starts to involve him in a deep conversation that makes Guy look at his job in a new light.
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Emma Wright
7/15/2014 08:34:05 am
I agree with you. Although the rest of society sees the world as being perfect, Clarisse knows the truth. You can't have a world without meaningful conversation and the knowledge books bring. Now Montag can start to realize this as well.
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Krista Dalton
7/15/2014 12:07:46 pm
I absolutely agree with you. Clarisse is unique and has an understanding of the world that very few people have in this society. Montag is intrigued by Clarisse's positive and spontaneous outlook on life and is beginning to realize the books' significance to his own view of society.
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Anna Whitaker
7/15/2014 05:02:13 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 written by Ray Bradbury the story takes place in a futuristic society where books became banned due to government. I think the author gave Guy Montag a negative thought on society, he is against the idea of burning books even though he is a fireman. On page 45 he uses the words "shaken" "emptiness" I feel like Guy has a depressed emotion but it is very relaxed. Even though Guy has a calm voice I believe that he has a lot of ideas and opinions but he doesn't share with anyone else.
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Cecilia McCormick
7/15/2014 06:07:42 am
In Ray Bradbury's novel, Fahrenheit 451, Montag, the protagonist, faces a futuristic world of people who want nothing to do with the past. To keep the past from being remembered there are people called firemen, Montag being one of them. These firemen do not put out fires, they start them. They burn all the books of the past so no one will have the knowledge of t
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Cecilia McCormick
7/15/2014 06:41:00 am
I don't know why my computer just posted my comment when I wasn't finished so I'll continue here...
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Sean Murphy
7/15/2014 07:21:38 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, a fireman who's job it is to start fires meets a very unusual teenage girl named Clarisse. Guy Montag, the fireman, is very surprised when he meets Clarisse mostly because she is so different from anyone he has ever met. Clarisse talks to Guy every now and then asking him about his job as a fireman and telling him about her life, and Guy always listens even though he doesn't have to. Many other firemen ignore Clarisse because they think she is nuts, but Guy is the only one who listens. It seems as though everyone in the book, including Guy, is afraid to branch out and be more creative, and instead live life by some sort of routine, not appreciating what hey have. I feel that Clarisse is 'rubbing off' on Guy. This is shown in a scene of the book when Guy is outiside her house when "He stood outside the talking house in the shadows, thinking he might even tap on the door and whisper, 'Let me come in. I won't say anything. I just want to listen. What is it your saying?' But instead he stood there". (Bradbury 17) I predict that Guy will become more like Clarisse in the future and begin to question the odd world he lives in more and more.
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Shaye Gilmartin
7/15/2014 07:27:51 am
The novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is taken place in a futuristic world of false happiness. People have lost the true meaning of happiness and now the government has replaced it with technology like “wall-TVs” and “seashells” that bring them so called “happiness”. The government is trying to create a ‘“perfect world”, where everyone is doing the same things and acting the same way. Some people are happy with this world where their happiness revolves around “wall-TVs” and “seashells”. For instance Mildred, who wants “a fourth wall-TV put in” since it is “fun” (Bradbury, 20) enjoys the world she currently is living in of false happiness. She thinks it will make her happier if she has a fourth wall-TV put in, but does not realize that it will not bring her actual happiness, but however just a distraction from reality. Mildred portrays one of the many in the society who has lost their identity and slipped into the governments idea of living a happy life. However, the hospital usually has “cases nine or ten a night” (Bradbury, 15) of attempted suicide because those people wanted to try an escape the false happiness the government created. Overall, people are no longer living as free individuals but are being controlled by the media of a high power that created false happiness for them.
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Will Grant
7/15/2014 08:18:09 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the main character is Guy Montag who is a fireman. What is weird though is that the fireman in this novel actually start the fires, they don't stop them. He meets a sixteen going on seventeen year old girl named Clarisse. They have a very interesting relationship. At first, Clarisse seems to think that Guy is this horrible person because he is a fireman. Guy seems to think that her rants are crazy at first. For example, Guy is"inclined to believe that she needs the psychiatrist"(Bradbury 21). He quickly tells Clarisse that he does not mean it. But the truth always comes out in the heat of the moment. As the pages turn, their relationship evolves. She starts to realize that Guy is not like every fireman, and that he is not like the rest of them. For example, Clarisse states that"Sometimes, I even forget that you're a fireman"(Bradbury23). This shows how much Clarisse's view on Guy has changed. Guy realizes that she is as crazy as he might have once thought. Even though she is still crazy. As a reader, I loved seeing their relationship evolve, and I was sad that she died. She has had a lasting affect on Guy, and always will because she inspired him to think outside of his comfort zone, and to see how messed up the world he lived in really was.
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Ryan Humelsine
7/16/2014 11:27:13 am
I also believe that Guy begins to think differently about his role in society after meeting Clarisse. Her character in very vague, and I wish we could’ve learned more about her. It seemed as though she was a person of the past living in the present. Clarisse’s death seemed too quick and sudden for such a vital character in the book, not only in a tragic sense, but also from a curiosity point of view. I would have liked to find out more about her and her past, but her existence as a character ended abruptly. I think Ray Bradbury intended to have Clarisse die early on in the book, in order for her ideas to recur through Guy Montag. We may be able to find out more about who Clarisse really was through Guy’s character.
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Emma Wright
7/15/2014 08:30:13 am
An important scene in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury happens when Guy Montag meets Clarisse McClellan on pages six through ten. Unlike the rest of society, who just goes through the motions of life and never experiences anything real and pure, Clarisse asks thought provoking questions, enjoys nature, and is interested in learning. Even the description of Clarisse’s appearance is unlike other characters; her eyes are “two miraculous bits of silver” and her face is “fragile milk crystal” (7). She is interesting and real, not sucked into the world of Seashell Radios and wall-size TVs. Readers are supposed to pick up the difference between her and the other people Montag interacts with. This scene sets the pace for the rest of the book. Clarisse opens Montag’s eyes to see how wrong his way of life is. When she acts him if he is happy, Montag realizes that he is just going through the motions of his artificial life and sets out to change it.
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Paige Whittle
7/15/2014 08:49:00 am
I agree with the way you described Clarisse and how she influenced the start of a change in Montag's life. The reader can tell that Clarisse has opened Montag's eyes and has helped him discover that his way of life is wrong because he starts to vaguely answer her questions about the old roles of fireman. This section of the novel shows that Clarisse's questions for Montag have helped him realize that their world is not as perfect as everyone makes it out to be, and this has inspired Montag to make a change in his life.
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Jade Glab
7/19/2014 03:53:45 am
I agree with both you and Paige about the way you described Clarisse and that she is different from other members of society. I also loved how you described how Montag's life was very artificial and fake. After their encounter, I believe that Montag realized he needed to change his lifestyle in order to have true happiness.
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Kathleen Murray
7/15/2014 08:56:02 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, the author Ray Bradbury establishes many scenes where the protagonist Guy Montag has many encounters with the seventeen year old girl, Clarisse McClellan who has an impact on him. Guy sees that Clarisse looks at life in a different way than anyone he knows. To illustrate this, when Guy says he has never tasted rain before, she replies, “rain even tastes good,” (Bradbury 21). This shows that Guy doesn’t have the knowledge and doesn’t appreciate his surroundings. Clarisse is this insight to a new world for Guy. She makes him think in a totally new way. To her, these words show she asks so many questions that makes Guy question what he is doing for a living as a firefighter. Clarisse really opens Guy’s eyes to his surroundings and he now has a totally different perspective on his life as a firefighter.
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Victoria Sullivan
7/16/2014 11:40:19 am
I agree with you, Kathleen because Clarisse and Guy's relationship was not like many others and after time, Guy will have an impact on Clarisse. It is strange to think that Clarisse asking many questions was liked by Guy because sometimes that can get annoying. Guy and Clarisse's relationship isn't like many others; and that is what will make it strive.
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Hannah Noglows
7/15/2014 09:35:22 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the characters Guy Montag, a fireman who burns books, and Clarisse, a teenager who is intrigued by the past, become friends. As the story progresses the readers see how Guy’s and Clarisse’s friendship grow. On page 28, Guy says, “Why is it… I feel like I’ve known you for so many years” (Bradbury 28). Guy feels like he has known Clarisse for a very long time even though he just recently met her. Clarisse proves that a person's presence can affect someone else's life. Clarisse makes Guy a more positive person. I think the author is foreshadowing that Guy will change after being friends with Clarisse. Readers already witness that Clarisse’s perky, upbeat attitude greatly affects Guy. When Guy feels like he has know Clarisse for a long time it shows that him and Clarisse are close friends even though they have not known each other for that long.
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Skyler Post
7/15/2014 10:13:16 am
In Fahrenheit 451, a fireman who was once so sure about his way of life begins to question the society he lives in when he meets an odd seventeen-year-old with a different outlook on life. Guy Montag is pleased with his life. He enjoys his job of burning books. One of the first scenes in the book is when he first interacts with Clarisse McClellan. On page 7, she says, "I'm seventeen and I'm crazy. My uncle says the two always go together...I like to smell things and look at things, and sometimes stay up all night, walking, watching the sun rise." (Bradbury 7). This shows the reader that Clarisse is very observant of others, so naturally, she sees things the way they really are.
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Nora Fraser
7/15/2014 11:04:17 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, the author, Ray Bradbury, displays the results of censorship. The story is primarily focused on the censorship, and destruction, of books. A main conflict in the main character, Guy Montag’s thoughts is the destruction of legacy that is caused by the book burning. He is pained by the thought that some books were completely destroyed, and with them, the author. Pages 156 and 157 are a continuous discussion on this topic between a man named Granger and Montag. “Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made… Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die.” This quote captures the human idea of immortality through fame, and also solidifies the idea that the authors whose books were burned are, in fact, gone. This passage is important because it makes the book burning seem even more cruel, and almost murderous, regardless of a possible reason for censorship.
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Jodi Lynch
7/24/2014 04:22:03 am
You have an excellent point in saying that censorship is a theme. I would take this a step further by adding that the censorship continues into the characters everyday thoughts and actions. For example, Mildred is constantly worrying if she and Montag are obeying laws as well as how she looks to others so as to not get herself in trouble.
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Bobby Villaluz
7/15/2014 11:43:38 am
On page 163 of Ray Bradbury’s thought-provoking novel called Fahrenheit 451,
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Isabella Ramos
7/15/2014 11:53:35 am
While reading the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury it has become apparent to me as the reader that Clarisse has made a long lasting impression on Guy Montag's life. The day that Montag ran into Clarisse is the day that his view on society was changed. Montag, the main character in Bradbury's novel, is a fireman who's occupation it was to burn the books written in the past. I think that it is obvious that Montag doesn't necessarily agree with what he does but continues to burn the books. When he ran into Clarisse, Montag began to talk to her and he became aware of the type of person she was. She was curious and put a lot of thought into everything. Clarisse asked Montag, " Is it true that long ago firemen put fires out instead of getting them to start?" (Bradbury 7). Montag replied by saying, " No. Houses have always been fireproof, take my word for it" (Bradbury 7). I think that this is when Guy Montag begins to think deeply about the society that he lives in and how corrupt it is. I believe that Clarisse motivated Guy Montag's rebellion.
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Elizabeth Paterno
7/15/2014 01:01:45 pm
Early on in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag, a firefighter whos job it was to start fires, meets Clarisse McClellan.I find how they meet to be just as interesting as what they say to each other because Montag had sensed her being there. His body felt her presence and on that night he actually encountered her. "The last few nights he had has the most uncertain feeligns about the sidewalk just around the corner here, moving straight toward his house" (4). The description of how Guy Montag felt makes me believe that Clarisse will be a very important character and have a large impact on Montag. Clarisse is Montag's neighbor, so the two end up walking back together. The two talk and Clarisse is the kind of girl who is not afraid to say what she feels. On page 8, she questions how Montag is a fireman. "'Do you ever read any of the books you burn?' He laughed 'Thats against the law!' 'Oh. Of course." (8) This girl is able to question a man she just met causing him to think more. She will be very important to him because of her questioning and how shes not afraid of firemen.
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Shaye Gilmartin
7/15/2014 01:27:10 pm
I completely agree with you that Montag and Clarisses encounter and conversation shows that she will become an important figure for Montag. I also think that since Clarisse was asking such personal questions to Montag, it shows that she is not afraid to put herself out there and is very unique. I am curious to see how Clarisse impacts Montag further into the book.
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Alexandra LeLand
7/15/2014 01:05:54 pm
Scene one, pages four through seven, of Ray Bradburys's, Fahrenheit 451 gives the reader insight of the first encounter between Clarisse McClellan and Guy Montag. When walking home from work one night, Montag encounters his seventeen year old neighbor, after feeling as if someone or something has been following him the past few nights. This encounter makes Montaq reconsider his own personal happiness. Since Guy was so intrigued by Clarisse, I considered his happiness immediately. By contrasting and comparing these two characters, it is evident that they are whole heartedly. Clarisse is free spirited, and although does not follow the law, she is happy with her life. Guy lives by a schedule, works a high pressure job as a fireman and doesn't seem all that willing to try new things. During their walk home, they spoke about the simple things in life that Guy does not even realize because he is so worried about following the law and getting his job done well. Opposite of Guy, Clarisse talks about the “dew on the grass, the man in the moon, billboards and the pleasure she receives from these simple things: “ Did you know that once billboards were only twenty feet long?”, “Bet I know something else you don't. There's dew on the grass in the morning.”, “and if you look – she nodded at the sky – theres a man in the moon.”
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Sierra Lopes
7/19/2014 06:39:51 am
Clarisse asking these questions wouldn't be that unusual in a culture different than to the one in the book, which is probably why she seems so memorable. She asks the most simple, obvious questions, and makes very obvious remarks, such as the one about there being dew on the grass in the morning, and yet Montag realises that he was not sure if he knew that or not, which annoys him. Yet because of that fact, you realise just how different she is to everyone else, which makes her stick out like a sore thumb, much like Luna Lovegood does in Harry Potter.
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Claire McEvoy
7/15/2014 01:13:22 pm
In the widely-known novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag struggles with not only his identity, but his purpose. Many new changes come to Montag as he experiences finding out who he really is inside. One scene in particular which causes a new change in Montag is during one of his conversations with Clarisse. She is talking about rain, and claims, "it tastes just like wine"(Bradbury 23). Then, once Clarisse goes on her way, Montag does something slightly peculiar. As he is going back to his house, "he tilted his head back in the rain, for just a few moments, and opened his mouth…"(Bradbury 24). This marks the beginning of Montag's questioning of society. He starts to wonder about things; more importantly, he begins to think. This is a turning point in the book because it leads to Montag questioning more issues and finally leaving the city.
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Tierney Baldwin
7/16/2014 06:57:16 am
I completely agree with you on how Bradbury creatively uses fire throughout Fahrenheit 451 to illustrate Montag’s character change. In the beginning of the novel, Montag loved his career as a fireman and loved to burn books; however, towards the end of the novel, the mere idea of burning one of his precious books make him sick. Whereas he used to believe “it was a pleasure to burn” (Bradbury 3), he now believes that he has “never burned right” (Bradbury 117). I find your interpretation of the use of water very clever, as well. Because fire and water are natural opposites, subtly having water play a key role in the novel was an ingenious technique Bradbury used. Both elements hold significant meanings in Montag’s character change and the progression of the novel.
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Krista Dalton
7/15/2014 01:35:17 pm
Knowledge versus ignorance is a theme presented throughout the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. One particular scene that exemplifies this theme is in the first chapter of this novel when Clarisse talks with Montag and states, "You're not like the others. I've seen a few; I know. When I talk, you look at me. When I said something about the moon, you looked at the moon, last night. The others would never do that. The others would walk off and leave me talking. Or threaten me. No one has time any more for anyone else. You're one of the few who put up with me. That's why I think it's so strange you're a fireman. It just doesn't seem right for you, somehow," (Bradbury 23). In a way, the fireman's job is to destroy knowledge and promote ignorance to equalize the population by burning books. Clarisse symbolizes knowledge, while Montag symbolizes ignorance at this point in the novel. The reader can distinguish that charming and cheerful Clarisse is beginning to make Montag realize being a fireman may not be so great after all. In this scene, it is suggested that Montag is starting to second-guess his approach to life and his position as a fireman. As one of the readers, this specific scene in the novel reminds us that it is okay to wonder and learn because that is what gives us knowledge. Overall, Montag's search for knowledge destroys his previous ignorance shared with nearly the rest of society, and he starts to acknowledge the significance of the flawed yet interesting and educational aspects of life.
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Victoria White
7/21/2014 06:17:28 am
I really like the theme you have formulated. The evidence you used to back it up is dead on. I never looked at this scene in this way and now, in light of your observations, I am able to think about it on an entirely new level.
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Jodi Lynch
7/15/2014 11:41:29 pm
In the novel, Fahrenheit 451, the author, Ray Bradbury, explains the self-destructive nature of humans through the thoughts of the main character, Guy Montag. This theme of self-destruction is present in a scene between Guy Montag and Captain Beatty from pages 112-113. The scene begins with Beatty provoking Montag by saying “We’ll trace this and drop it on your friend.” (Bradbury 112) Guy, scared and angry, then releases the safety from the flame thrower he has been holding. Beatty grins. The use of the word “grin” is foreshadowing and gives the passage an unnerving feel. The audience now knows that Beatty wants this to happen. Beatty, Knowing Guy has the weapon and is in a position where he feels threatened, persists to egg Montag on. Beatty uses phrases such as “Why don’t you belch Shakespeare to me, you fumbling snob?” (Bradbury 113) and “Go ahead now, you second hand literature, pull the trigger.” (Bradbury 113) to push Montag further into a position of anger and fear. Montag then sets Beatty on fire. The theme of self-destruction continues throughout the book as Montag realizes that Beatty wanted to die. This plagues him mentally. Ray Bradbury’s writing style and word choices in this scene create a tense and alert feeling for the audience.
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Emily Fitzgerald
7/16/2014 12:49:39 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury gives readers a wake up call by implying theme of how the digital age can begin to rule out literature. Multiple times throughout the book he explained how the protagonist, Guy Montag, struggled with the idea that the possession of books was banned. Soon Montag found himself hiding books around the house from his wife and friends."Montag felt his heart jump and jump again as she patted his pillow." (Bradbury 55). This happened when Guy's wife Mildred was making up their bed while had a book hidden in his pillow case. Once she found the book, he had a ton of explaining to do. People thought that books led to no good since they were complicated and not everyone agreed with what was being written. "A book is a loaded gun in the house next door. Burn it." (Bradbury 58). Reading this gave me a new perspective. As head firefighter Beatty said this, he was explaining his argument that just because books cause controversy, they should be banned; but controversy is what helps enlighten people and give them further knowledge about a problem, which is essential so that everyone can have a voice in society. If everyone hated books, we wouldn't advance as a civilization medically, technically, etc. Throughout this scene, Bradbury established the theme of how we shouldn't be forgetting about literature as we advance digitally.
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Chris Brannagan
7/16/2014 01:23:41 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, the main character is Guy Montag. Guy is a fireman and has been one for ten years. One night after work he begins to walk home. While walking home he’s see’s a neighbor who he not yet had the chance to talk to. Guy walks up and engages in a conversation by asking what her name is. The girl is young and her name is Clarisse McClellan. Her and Guy start walking and talking. Then she says something strange, “So many people are. Afraid of firemen, I mean. But you’re just a man, after all...” (Bradbury 7). When I first read this I was a bit confused on why people would be scared of firemen. They are pretty much modern day super heroes. But as I read on in the book I realized that firemen don’t fight the fires, they start the fires.
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Jack Mangold
7/16/2014 01:56:49 am
A very important scene in the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is when Guy meets Clarisse for the first time on page 6. Clarisse shows Guy a new way of thinking and asks questions that many people would not ask. Guy does not know how to respond to many of these questions and he has to think about them for a moment. She questions what firefighters do and asks if they used to put out fires instead of starting them. The last thing that Clarisse asked is that she asked Guy if he was happy. Guy had to think about this question for quite awhile. By the end of their conversation you can already tell that Clarisse is impacting and changing Guy.
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Emily Bynoe
7/16/2014 02:15:12 am
In Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451, Clarisse McClellan and Guy Montag form a very interesting friendship. Clarisse is a young girl who is free and questions everything. She is not satisfied with answers that were thought of on the spot. Montag is very different. He content with his life and never thought to think about anything he was doing, he just did it.
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Grace Dengler
7/16/2014 06:05:30 am
You make a very good point in your reflection. Your quote from page 23 is very strong and completely proves the different personalities forming a close friendship. Also, i liked how you including the part about the moon because that is an example of your point. Your reflection proves that their different backgrounds make a strong friendship.
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Jake McIntyre
7/16/2014 03:25:55 am
In scene one (pgs. 4-10) of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, we are given insight about the relationship between Guy Montag and Clarisse McClellan. Guy is a member of the Fire Department 451. After work each day he walks home, but for the past few nights he had a strange feeling that someone was there on the sidewalk he turned onto. On that night, when Guy turned the corner he saw Clarisse, his new 17 year old neighbor. We learn quickly that Clarisse is very observant and curious, when she says “And you must be- the fireman.” (Bradbury 6) She says she would’ve known with her eyes closed due to the smell of kerosene.
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Grace Dengler
7/16/2014 04:40:26 am
In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, two characters with opposite personalities become friends. Guy Montag, a firefighter who lights books on fire for a living becomes friends with Clarisse, an imaginative teenage girl. In my opinion, they both have extremely positive influences on each other. Montag mentions that he feels like he has known Clarisse for a very long time, even though they have just met. “Why is it, he said one time, at the subway entrance, I feel like I’ve known you for so many years?” (Bradbury 28). If someone feels like they have none someone for a while when they haven’t that proves that they have strong impacts on each other. Furthermore, showing that what one thinks affects what the other thinks as well. Although they have different outlooks on life, they share them with each other and reflect on these ideas. Overall, Montag and Clarisse are obviously true friends because of the way they bond.
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Brenna Bonner
7/16/2014 06:11:06 am
i completely agree with your response because i also said in my response that i think they have different outlooks on life but that is why they became friends, because they liked to learn about the different lives they have.
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Connor McLoone
7/16/2014 06:40:46 am
Grace, I agree with you 100 %. I also believe that their different outlooks on life is what made them get along so well because they can talk for hours on their different views. Guy doesn't really question what is happening in the world while that is all that Clarisse does. Great post!
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Brenna Bonner
7/16/2014 05:53:16 am
In Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag is introduced as the main character. He displays a brave firefighter and has been one for the last ten years of his life. In the scene that I read, Guy Montag comes across another character that goes by Clarisse McClellan. Clarisse is a seventeen-year-old girl that lives in the same neighborhood as Guy, and these two become fast friends. I think the reason why a bond forms between these two is because they are two very different people who have different stories, and both of them are interested in the other’s way of life. When Clarisse says “And you must be- the fireman.” (Bradbury 6) it shows her curiosity of his occupation. Also, Guy finds Clarisse interesting because when she explains her life and what she does as a “crazy teenager” he reflects on it and remembers his life when he was her age.
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Grace Dengler
7/16/2014 05:58:00 am
I completely agree with you Brenna, you make a very good point in this reflection. Their two different backgrounds are the main reason that they get along so well and your quote proved that. I liked the part when you said that Guy was interested in the "crazy teenager" life, it made your point very clear.
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Matt Santos
7/16/2014 11:20:20 am
I agree with u very much, brenna. I feel the same way about how they both interact with eachother because they are both curious about what the other person has to say.
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Connor McLoone
7/16/2014 06:33:21 am
In the novel Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, nature is made to seem almost evil in a way. This is because in the new technology driven world that is shown in this book, everything that is natural and is not technology based is, in a way, not a part of society anymore. I am referring to pages 24-26 in which Montag is with the mechanical hound and it startles him. Montag says " It doesn't like me." (Bradbury26).
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Tierney Baldwin
7/16/2014 07:01:10 am
I think Montag and his wife have the most peculiar relationship in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. According to Clarisse, Montag is “not in love with anyone” because the dandelion did not rub off on his chin, but Montag denies this claim, arguing that he is (Bradbury 22). I agree with Clarisse, though; I do not believe Montag and his wife are actually in love. It seems like they rarely communicate with each other properly. Mildred is “an expert at lip reading from ten years apprenticeship at Seashell ear thimbles” and she always appears to have “both ears plugged” with the device, so I doubt that she removes them that often to have a normal conversation with her husband (Bradbury 18). In addition, when Montag tries to have a serious conversation with her, she constantly changes the subject, distracted by her hunger, a script, or any other surrounding item. I almost feel as if Montag begins to agree with Clarisse too, despite the fact that he stubbornly denies her claim that he is not in love. When he talks to Clarisse he calls her “peculiar” and “aggravating” (Bradbury 23) and declares that he is “very much in love” (Bradbury 22); however, once she leaves he gives a slight indication that he might be listening to her beliefs. During their conversation, Clarisse tells him that she likes to drink the rain, and she encourages Montag to try it several times, but Montag refuses to. Once she left, though, Montag “tilted his head back in the rain, for just a few moments, and opened his mouth” (Bradbury 24). I feel that listening to Clarisse for this one action hints that Montag may be listening to her for others, as well.
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Alma Sanchez
7/19/2014 07:10:44 am
Montag and his wife do have a relationship that consists of little communication, you're absolutely right when you say that they are not in love. I liked how you mentioned that Montag is beginning to listen to Clarisse's reasoning.
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Abigail Joyce
7/16/2014 11:14:20 am
In the novel Fahrenehit 451 by Ray Bradbury we are introduced to two characters, Clarisse and Montag. After their first encounter, Montag begins to analyze the girl. He describes her as a mirror, due to her ability to reflect the lightness of others onto herself. She was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He continues his comparison by describing the average person as a torch, stating how they "blaze away until they are whiffed out." Personally, I agree with him. Humans are indeed like fire. We are ignited like a flame and then we spend our existence burning up and creating life until we inevitably die out. Some people may leave remnants, like smoke, and those are the people that really impacted this world; the people that left their mark. The rest of us, we become ash, only visible to those who experienced us. This quotation really got me to analyze this simile deeply. I believe that Montag's idea of life in the comparison to fire is very accurate and I identify with it deeply.
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Victoria Sullivan
7/16/2014 11:34:05 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the main character, Guy Montag comes in contact with Clarisse McClellan who is a teenager who is curious about Guy's life and job. She thinks it is strange that he burns books and starts fires, because usually it is the other way around. Clarisse makes it completely clear that even though Montag's job is strange, "[she] is not afraid of [him] at all" (Bradbury7). Clarisse asked Guy lots of questions about his job. Clarisse's personality really rubbed off on Guy and he started to think about her in a way different than just a friend. Bradbury writes this story to not only make the reader think about the text, but he also wants the reader to get into the plot and think about what will happen next.
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Matthew Santos
7/16/2014 11:49:21 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, the author Ray Bradbury, introduces his main character Guy Montag as he begins to show the relationship between Clarisse and Montag. The novel takes place in 1950. Montag is a fireman who is not what you believe a fireman to be. He actually sets fires instead of putting them out. Montage has a conversation with his 17 year old inquisitive neighbor Clarisse who he just met walking home when she asks him, Montag, "Are you happy?"(Bradbury 10). This question appears to be intriguing to Montag as he begins to question himself. I think this quote is the beginning to the insight of their relationship and how he will look at himself more closely. I feel that he begins to think of his past and all the decisions he has made thus far. His first response was yes, but then he started to rethink his answer. Was he really happy? How does this 17 year old have such insight to his life? “Three minutes, Five? Yet how large that time seemed now. How immense a figure she was on that time seemed now.”(Bradbury 11). By the end of the novel, I think that Montag will have a different insight to his own feelings and choices that he has made in his life because of Clarisse. I think she will have a huge impact on his future decisions.
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Madison Ciccone
7/16/2014 01:43:25 pm
In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, during pages 6-7, the two main characters Clarisse and Guy bump into one another. Clarisse knows right off the bat that Guy is "one of them,” meaning the firemen. What is most interesting about the firemen is that they do not put out fires in this fictional world, they start them. All Guy can say about his job is "Kerosene, it is nothing but perfume to me." Guy portrays himself as a longtime fireman who is always on the job. He is so engulfed in his job that the smell of kerosene is too familiar to him.
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Madison Ciccone
7/16/2014 01:45:08 pm
the quote is cited from: (Bradbury 6)
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Jade Glab
7/19/2014 03:38:01 am
In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag, a fireman meets his crazy seventeen year old neighbor, Clarisse McClellan for the first time. During their first encounter with each other, Clarisse becomes interested in Montag's job of being a fireman and mentions, "So many people are. Afraid of firemen, I mean. But you're just a man after all..." (Bradbury 7) At first, I didn't understand why anyone would be afraid of firemen because in a normal society, firemen are the ones who protect you from being engulfed in flames. However, I then realized that in the corrupt society they live in, firemen were there to start fires rather than protect you from them. As a result of this conversation, I also believe that Clarisse made a huge impact on Montag's output on life. Before their encounter, Montag believed that being a fireman who started fires was making him happy. However, Clarisse told him, " I heard once that a long time ago houses used to burn by accident and they needed firemen to stop the flames." (Bradbury 8) She also mentioned that Montag never seemed to notice the beauty in everything like she did. This started to make both her and Montag wonder whether he was truly happy or not. After reading this scene, I can tell that Montag isn't truly happy with his life of being a fireman. I believe that this encounter with Clarisse will impact his actions throughout the rest of the story.
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Victoria White
7/21/2014 06:04:49 am
I totally agree with you. It is evident that Montag is truly unhappy, and that Clarisse will most likely be a big factor throughout the novel. I feel as though Clarisse's way of thinking and analyzing things has already started to rub off on Montag.
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Shannon O'Donnell
8/30/2014 05:52:52 am
I definitely agree with you. Clarisse encourages him to think about how he is truly feeling, instead of what society is telling him to feel. I believe Clarisse is the major reason why Montag begins to question society and begins to see how awful it is.
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Sierra Lopez
7/19/2014 06:31:21 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, there is a scene on page 96 mainly between Mrs Bowles and Mrs Phelps. It is brought up when Guy Montag asks Mrs Phelps how her children are, and she becomes angry and says that she doesn't have children and that "No one in his right mind, the good Lord knows, would have children!" Mrs Bowles then goes on to say that she has had two children, but only by Caesarian section, for "The world must reproduce, you know,your race must go on." She then goes on to say that she puts her children in school nine days out of ten, and that they only come home three days a month, yet she doesn't even look after them then. She even compares how she "raises" her children to washing clothes, "stuff laundry in and slam the lid." However, this is not raising your children at all, it seems more like a case of neglect. They use children only as a tool to reproduce and keep themselves from dying out instead of how people in the real world usually do, cherishing their children and doing their best to help them grow up. It makes you wonder if the characters are actually capable of love. Most likely not, if they view their "families" on their wall sized screens with love but not their children. And if they actually are capable of love, but only for their fake families, then their perceptions of love seems to be irreversibly twisted. Clarisse seemed to have noticed this, as she told Guy that he wasn't in love when he insisted that he was. I feel like this shows that in a society such as the one these people live in, their emotions become warped and distorted until they're just a poor mockery of what they once were or could have been. Just like their actual lives.
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Alma Sanchez
7/19/2014 07:19:31 am
Your wording on this issue of lack of love in this scene, was spot on. I agree with you completely on how people in this society have a definition of love that is completely different from our own. You made an amazing point on how the emotions of the characters seem distorted.
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Alma Sanchez
7/19/2014 07:50:52 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, by Rad Bradbury, Montag, the main character is given an explanation by his colleague, Beatty. Beatty explains the reason behind their jobs as firemen, "They were given the new job, as custodians of our peace of mind, the focus of our understandable and rightful dread of being inferior:official sensors, judges, and executors. That's you, Montag, and that's me." (Bradbury 58-59). Here, Beatty explains that they are the ones to help mold everyone to be the same, and to make sure that no one is offended by the contents of a book. Beatty explains that, "Not everyone is born free and equal, as the constitution says, but everyone is made equal." (Bradbury 58). The solution, is to destroy every single chance a person has to think. Without books, there is not controversy over any topic, and peace is kept.
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Chase Hintelmann
7/21/2014 05:45:41 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the main character, Montag, works as a firefighter. Now, he is not the typical firefighter you see in your local neighborhood nowadays, instead, he is part of a team that burns books. In the futuristic society that Guy Montag lives in, books and other pieces of literature are illegal. However, Guy doesn't fully understand why he and his fellow firemen burn the books, he just burns them because he is told they are illegal. So recently, Guy has been stealing a book or two, behind the other firemen's back, from the burn pile. So far, it seems no one has noticed, but recently, The Mechanical Hound, a machine that guards the firehouse, has been hostile toward Montag. "He saw the silver needle extend upon the air an inch, pull back, extend, pull back. The growl simmered in the beast and it looked at him. Montag backed up. The Hounds took a step from its kennel." (Bradbury, 25-26) The Hound is only hostile to humans it has been programmed to attack, so someone must have instructed The Hound to attack Montag, the only question is... who? Has someone found out about Montag and his book collection. It seems no one suspects him, but even so, who tries to kill him for owning books? The fact that someone is out to kill Montag for no apparent reason other than the possibility that he stole some books, shows a serious flaw in the society these people live in. They all think they have done such a good job refining their community, however, it seems people are only more dangerous and deadly than before. I'm interested to see how this story continues and whether Montag figures out who is after him and whether keeping the books is worth it.
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Victoria White
7/21/2014 05:59:19 am
In the novel Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, there is such a false sense of realness. What I mean by this is that the people are blinded by the customs and lifestyles enforced by those held in higher regards. There are rules and regulations set forth that have transformed life into a cookie cutter form of reality. One thing I find very intriguing, in what I have read so far, is the scene in which the main character, Montag, has a slight altercation with the robotic hound at the fire station. After the encounter we are informed that the hound's life is completely programmed, and Montag comes to the conclusion that it doesn't like him. The thing that interests me the most is Captain Beaty's response. He says, and I quote, "'It doesn't like or dislike. It just 'functions''" (Bradbury26). In my opinion, this is so important because, reflecting on what I have previously said, these people aren't living real lives. Like the hound, they are just functioning. They are just doing what they are told and how they are told to do so. I feel this scene has an important overall effect on the novel because of the actions Montag is now starting to take. A bit farther into the novel we are now starting to see Montag pushing boundaries and trying to uncover answers in the efforts of finding happiness and an overall better life.
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James Latimer
7/22/2014 02:35:49 am
In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag struggles to live in a world that is ruled by a state of not knowing or caring to understand. One of the scenes that portrayed this idea is when Mildred's (Montag's wife) life is being saved while she is in a drug induced coma. The emergency “medic” saving Mildred does not seem to know how the machine he is using to save her life works and performs the task apathetically. “You take out the old and put in the new and you're okay” (Bradbury 15) the operator remarks, giving the scene a nonchalance usually applied to more casual situations. The medic is also smoking a cigarette, giving the impression that he is preforming this task lackadaisically and is in a relaxed setting. This medic points out that suicide attempts of this kind happen frequently, saying “We get these cases nine or ten a night” (Bradbury 15) and “All you need is two handymen, clean up the problem in half an hour” (Bradbury 15). This scene exemplifies how there is a general attitude of ignorance among Guy Montag's peers. This is significant because gives insight into the lack of education and knowledge among people in this future world.
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Skylar Simone
7/23/2014 09:22:21 am
In Ray Bradburys' Fahrenheit 451 life is much different from todays modern day time. People have lost their sense in knowing what is important. They don't think for themselves and they let the state get away with anything they want. Guy Montag if a fire fighter. The state thinks there are protecting the people by burning every book and the sad thing is they believe it. The people of the state actually believe that what the fifer filter are doing is actually beneficial to them. But in reality they are just taking away knowledge and understanding that they could have had. On page 21-24 Montag and Clarisse are having a conversation. Clarisse is talking to Montags about all these things like if a dandelion rubs off on your chin it means you in love or how the rain taste good. She does all these different thinks that he wouldn't usually see. It started to make him think. Make him start to think what lifes all about. At one point Clarisse hit him with some questions. Asking "How did it start?" (Bradbury 23) and "How did he pick his work?"(Bradbury 23). All they things she was saying to him made him feel all these types of emotions inside. It made him rethink his life more than he ever had and made him think if all he was doing was right.
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Griffin Perry
8/24/2014 05:21:34 am
I agree that Clarisse's remarks make Montag think about life and it's purpose which makes him feel emotions he's never felt before. I also said that it makes him rethink his life and the ethics of being a fireman which set up an interesting plot for the novel.
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Jack McNally
7/25/2014 01:36:36 am
I believe that a major theme in the book Fahrenheit 451 is the acceptance or rejection of reality. This theme is best shown in the conversation that Montag has with Beatty while Montag is pretending to be sick. Beatty comes to Montag’s home and begins to tell him about the history of books, and why firemen have to burn them. He tells Montag that people began to split into minorities, and that these minorities became hostile towards certain books. He says “Colored people don’t like Little Black Sambo. Burn it. White people don’t feel good about Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Burn it. Someone’s written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Burn the book.” (Bradbury 59). This quote makes the reader feel as though Beatty is willing to give into the minorities. The reader now realizes that Beatty doesn’t fully think about what he is doing as a fireman. Beatty believes that if something makes someone unhappy, it should be eliminated. He is rejecting the reality of the past, instead of accepting it and learning from the mistakes of society.
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Quanlecia Ethridge
7/28/2014 09:09:10 am
From pages 21 to 24 the author gives insight on Montag and Clarisse. Montag is clearly a person with an open mind but is more or less timid. Clarisse is the type of person who makes you think. She is the type of person that truly lives the phase "Carpe Diem". In this scene, Clarisse is opening up a new world to Montag. She shows him the awkwardness of a young woman. Montag tries to convince Clarisse he is in love despite what the dandelion says. Clarisse is amazed that Montag is a fireman sue to the fact he is not like the others. He is adventurous.
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Bryce Barnes
8/1/2014 04:55:06 am
In Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag is a local fireman. In the conversation with Clarisse in the beginning of the book, she says "So many people are. Afraid of firemen, I mean. But you’re just a man, after all...” (Bradbury 7). In this book, ironically, fireman start fires, not create them. Montag really loves his job in the beginning and society is afraid of him. One of the themes is even though you are told to do something and no matter how much you enjoy it, nobody likes you for it.
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Ellie Farrington
8/5/2014 05:16:39 am
In Ray Bradbury's novel, Fahrenheit 451, one scene that stood out to me was on pages 36-40 when the lady burns with her books. It left Guy Montag and the reader disturbed. "The woman on the porch reached out with contempt to them all and struck the kitchen match against the railing" (Bradbury 40). The entire time she was calm and stood her ground, sending the message that she would rather die free, with all her books, than live in a world of fear and censorship. It takes a brave person to follow through with their beliefs. What bothered me though is that they were planning to let her burn with the house anyway; she just beat them to the punch. All the firemen were content to set it on fire with her inside and just walk away, but Montag was conflicted. " 'You're not leaving her here?' he protested" (Bradbury 38). He begged her to come with him, but she refused to leave. It just seems crazy that others like Beatty take it so lightly. They are so focused on their mission to destroy the books that human life means nothing to them.
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Debra Tuberion
8/7/2014 04:21:17 am
I agree with you Ellie. It also bothered me that the other firefighters didn't seem to care about the woman. You could tell that Guy Montag was very concerned about her.
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Debra Tuberion
8/7/2014 04:19:13 am
In the novel Farenheit 451, Ray Bradbury introduces two main characters very early in the novel, Clarisse and Guy Montag. When they are first introduced, Clarisse makes Montag think about his job and questions him about it. "You're not like the others. I've seen a few; I know. When I talk to you, you look at me. When I said something about the moon, you looked at the moon, last night. The others would never do that." (Bradbury 23) Clarisse is trying to explain to Guy Montag that he is different from the other firefighters which shows her interest in him and also foreshadows the rest of the novel.It shows that they will have a very important relationship with each other throughout the book.
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Alex Sosa
8/20/2014 03:36:21 am
In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, pages 28-31 create an effect on the reader. In a matter of four pages, Bradbury seems to capture a small but unique relationship between Clarisse and Montag. On page 29 she begins to explain certain things to Montag that he never understood before. For example, she tells him that old leaves smell like cinnamon and they talk about a time where there was different billboards. She even questions him on why he doesn't have children. Montag didn't seem to know the answer.
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Elijah Nishiura
8/24/2014 02:57:35 am
On Page 58-62, It is Beatty explaining the ways of the world they live in to Montag. I think the most important part of this is that they are just trying to avoid controversy or fighting within this world. They want peace, but they refuse to tell the public about books. They felt books caused controversy so to keep peace, they simply burned books. This goes against the principle that you can't get anywhere by running away from your problems. They figured if books caused controversy, get rid of them completely. I think all of us have experienced that this principle simply doesn't work. You'll never completely get rid of your problems or controversies. "Firemen were given the job of being custodians of the Peace of Mind" They were there to protect the peace.
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Griffin Perry
8/24/2014 05:17:59 am
In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, Montag's opening encounter with Clarisse McClellan immediately forms a recurring theme in the novel of a society of conformity which turns out to be quite significant. Intrigued by this "girl who was moving...letting the motion of the wind and the leaves carry her forward", Montag is surprised at Clarisse's knowledge of him being a fireman and her mysterious thoughts about it. (Bradbury, 5) These thoughts that question the logic of a fireman are shown throughout the novel in Montag's thoughts and Clarisse's actions. Clarisse notices how Montag is not your everyday fireman, by the way he looks at the moon when she does or looks at him when he talks. This proves to be right later in the novel when Montag questions the fireman ways of what they do. The two character's different personalities and thoughts blend in an interesting way which forms a strong bond between them. Her individuality and free thoughts spark a fire in Montag which makes him question the world around them as well which is a difficult thing to do in a world of conformity. This scene gives the reader a feel of the society the book describes and how it's not every day that you see someone who goes against the social flow of doing what other people do. The author demonstrates this by the way Montag shoots Clarisse "accusing glances" in a "clenching and uncomfortable silence" (Bradbury, 9). He does this because he is unsure of Clarisse's mysterious ways because he has never met anyone like her. This scene portrays the society of conformity that is translated throughout the book and is most of the reasoning behind Montag's actions.
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Juliet Slattery
8/25/2014 02:13:40 am
In Ray Bradbury's novel Fahrenheit 451 on pages 152-153, Montag experiences something that I believe he has been looking for all his life. I believe that this connection and feeling he has connected with was something he experienced when meeting Clarisse in the beginning of the novel. Guy Montag has run away from his home town and anything he knows. He meets up with a group of men who have memorized parts some of the most popular books. They teach Montag that some of the closest and most dearest things you will want and find will be found in your mind, and your heart. When Montag was still burning books, the fire was a symbol of himself and his happiness. When the books are being burnt by the fire, Montag's happiness and joy in life is being burnt as well. But when the men Montag meets tell him they have the books memorize he receives that happiness back again. The books can never be burnt from their minds, and so Montag and the rest of the groups across the country will have their happiness forever.
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Emilie Weiner
8/25/2014 10:25:59 am
Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is laden with bold characters, thoughts, and statements as soon as the novel is opened. On page 27, main character Guy Montag is meeting again with his young neighbor, Clarisse, and she speaks of her supposed "antisocial" tendencies to him. "Being with people is nice," she says. "But I don't think it's social to get a bunch of people together and not let them talk, do you?" And when she's finished, he says back to her, "You sound very old" (Bradbury, 27). This conversation is an important one to the book, because it not only depicts the way that Guy holds Clarisse in his mind, but also the way she thinks and why those thoughts make her different; and Clarisse's individuality is the whole of her allure toward Montag. She's not what he's used to seeing, and it's her and the way she thinks that sends him musing further outside of the dystopia that's been created in this written future. She completely knocks the way their society functions, and there's both beauty and horror in that. "Do you notice how people hurt each other nowadays?" (Bradbury, 51). These are the words that spur both Montag and the readers' thoughts into a constant question of how people act, thus setting the stage for the entire novel.
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Shannon O'Donnell
8/30/2014 05:51:23 am
In Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451, Clarisse clearly made an impression on Guy Montag’s life. From their first meeting, the way Montag viewed society is forever changed. The character Montag was a firemen, in their society, burned books. Montag did not seem to particularly enjoy his occupation, but continued on with his job. The first time he and Clarisse met, Montag conversed with her and began to see that she was quite different from anyone he had ever met before. She possessed curiosity about the world around her and the people who inhabit it. She allowed herself to think freely about her society, not just in the present, but in the past as well. During their first meeting, Clarisse asked Montag, "Is it true that long ago firemen put fires out instead of getting them to start?" (Bradbury 8). Montag said, "No. Houses have always been fireproof, take my word for it.” (Bradbury 8). This exchange shows how Clarisse doesn’t automatically believe everything she is told. She thinks of other, outside possibilities. During their meeting, Clarisse encouraged Montag to think freely about the society he lived in. After their meeting, Montag was bewildered by their conversation. However, he began to not only think freely, but to question society. He finally let himself see how corrupted his society was, which in turn led to his rebellion against it.
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Mikayla Byron
8/31/2014 02:16:53 am
In Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, there are many scenes in which suicide and death have no emotional effect on the society. For example, in one scene, Mildred took all of her sleeping pills at once. In a panic, Montag quickly called the emergency room. Two men showed up with machines that cleaned out her stomach and blood, then stated that the fee for their work was fifty dollars. That is when Montag realized neither of them are a medical doctor. One responds saying, "We get these cases nine or ten a night. Got so many, starting a few years ago, we had the special machines built...You don't need an M.D., case like this; all you need is two handymen, clean up the problem in half an hour" (Brandbury 13). These men had acted as though a suicide attempt was common amongst their society and needed no further examination. Their nonchalant attitude was apparent when they stated that all you needed to "clean up the problem" were two handyman and special machines. This shows that the society in which Montag lives in could care less about the multiple suicide attempts and that it is a problem with a quick fix. As the reader, it makes you wonder what serious problems we, as society, have pushed aside. Have we too become so careless with the way we approach different problems? The theme is the ignorance of society. Their ignorance is recurrent throughout the entirety of the novel and is especially apparent when suicide and death occurs.
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Tyler Lewis
9/2/2014 12:45:54 am
On the tenth page of Fahrenheit 451 I found what Clarisse said was extremely thought provoking. She asks Montag if he is happy with his life, I found this extremely important, especially because of the end of the book. “Are you happy?” she said. “Am I what?” he cried. But she was gone – running in the moonlight. Her front door shut gently.” (Bradbury 10). I believe its placement is to make Montag become paranoid based on her quickly asking it. When she ends up asking Montag this, he doesn’t know how to respond because he originally thinks he hears it wrong. What eventually happens in less than ten pages is his wife attempting suicide by swallowing almost an entire bottle of pills. Jim being the only one to actually care once she nearly died probably made him realize that he can’t be happy with his life. I found this quote important because I believe that it may be one of the reasons he begins to read books and really reconsider his career as a fireman. Realizing he wasn’t happy was basically the first step for him really realizing that he needed a change, this is also the first step in the real world. The author puts this line of dialogue in the story to foreshadow the end of the book. I really actually enjoyed thinking about this line because I believe it’s a simple line that most readers will take for granted, thinking it’s just there to take up space. But it’s appearance can not only affect the reader to make them consider their own lives but as previously stated it makes Montag think really hard on his life.
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Edith torres
9/3/2014 06:07:36 am
In the novel known as Fahrenheit 451, written by Ray Bradbury, there was a scene that caught my attention as i ventured towards the end. Guy montag finally met with a group of men who seemed to have similar thoughts as he did about books. Granger, one of these men, helped montag realize what you need to do to be remembered. "Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people look at that tree or that flower you planted, you're there." (Bradbury, 156). Like books, bringing something to offer to the world will help make you someone to admire and remember in the centuries that pass. the world is balanced just like this novel shows, since there are those that create and those that destroy. "the difference between the man who just cuts the lawns and a real gardener is in the touching, he said." (Bradbury, 157) the lawn cutters Granger talks about are the destroyers, while the gardeners are the creators. the same analogy goes to firemen versus the lovers of books, as well as, knowledge.
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Charlie Weisman
9/3/2014 06:19:14 am
A passage in the novel that I felt was particularly riveting was Mildred's Suicide attempt. This part of the novel begins at the bottom of page 12. She appears almost lifeless, which Montag describes as "her eyes all glass, and breath going in and out, softly, faintly, in and out her nostrils" (Bradbury 13). Montag takes her to the hospital and she is revived. One of the most interesting parts of Mildred's attempted suicide is how she reacts afterwards. She acts as though nothing has happened, saying she feels tired. It is even referenced later in the novel, and she still denies her memory of it. I believe Mildred knows what she did and she is trying to block it out as a defense mechanism. This also goes back to the question Clarisse asks Montag, "Are you happy?" (Bradbury 10).
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Kristen Wimmer
9/5/2014 01:39:19 am
An important passage in the novel is the scene where Mildred attempts suicide. I think conveys how technology has distracted her from what is inside her. For example, when she is pulled away from the trance of the parlor TV walls, she realizes how meaningless her life is. It is easy for her to forget when asorbed in her technology, but without it she is nothing. After her attempt to end her life, she does not even seem to display any type of regret. Although she is alive, she appears lifeless. I believe Bradbury used this passage to demonstrate the negative impacts on technology obsessed society.
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